GUJRAT: The funds for the ongoing uplift schemes of the various departments may again be unfrozen as the authorities in Gujrat division have asked the contractors and executing agencies to continue work on these schemes.

Earlier, the caretaker government in Punjab had ordered to freeze the funds earmarked for such schemes.

However, the uplift schemes that have been approved but their execution is yet to start may get further delayed until formation of the new government after the election of the Punjab Assembly in Punjab whose schedule is yet to be announced, official sources said.

They added that the progress of work on the ongoing schemes had been disturbed after the stoppage of funds as the contractors had slowed down their pace in the wake of possibility of unavailability of funds.

Gujrat Acting Deputy Commissioner Aurangzeb Sidhu, who inspected the ongoing schemes during the last couple of days, said though the funding for the uplift schemes had initially been either frozen or rolled back by the departments concerned, they had now been asked to give the details of the ongoing schemes so that the released funds could again be unfrozen.

He added that the administration had told the contractors to continue working on the current schemes as the funds might be released again.

The DC inspected progress on 29km expressway linking Gujrat city with the Kharian-Sambrial motorway, Serivs Mor flyover and sewerage schemes.

Gujranwala Commissioner Naveed Haider Shirazi, who also holds the additional charge of commissioner Gujrat, visited the newly formed division for the first time after his posting.

Mr Shirazi chaired a meeting of the administrative officers of Gujrat division which was also attended by additional commissioner Wasif Basheer Khokhar, the deputy commissioners of Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin and Wazirabad, the Gujrat ADCG, director development Gujrat division and others.

He was briefed that at least 641 uplift schemes worth Rs167bn were currently underway in the Gujrat division, including 368 in Gujrat district, 189 in Mandi Bahauddin, 52 in Hafizabad and 32 schemes in Wazirabad district.

The mega projects include the construction of Punjab University of Technology Mandi Bahauddin, University of Hafizabad campus in Hafizabad, 100-bed hospital in Lakhanwal, two flyovers in Gujrat and Sara-i-Alamgir, 29km expressway and several other road projects.

The commissioner directed the departments concerned and administration that delay in the completion of these ongoing schemes would not be tolerated and that the departments concerned should be approached to ensure provision of required funds for these schemes.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2023